Tennis: Defending champ pulls out with injury

American Sam Querrey advanced to the semifinals with a 6-3 6-2 over Spain's Nicolas Almagro. Photo / Getty Images

Defending champion Philipp Kohlschreiber has pulled out of the Heineken Open tennis tournament with a tendon injury to his shoulder.

The German may also be forced to miss the Austalian Open next week depending on the result of an MRI scan.

Kohlschreiber came through in a tough three-setter against Juan Carlos Ferrero last night and looked to be playing well enough to defend his title.

But he has been carrying his shoulder injury since his flight to Auckland and has been playing with pain killers in his two matches at the tournament.

"I felt fine after last night," Kohlschreiber told a media conference today.

"But after five minutes of my warm-up I was feeling big pain in my arm and I felt pain no matter what shot I was playing."

Kohlschreiberr received medical advice soon afterwards and was told it would be best for him to rest.

He will stay in Auckland for the next two days to check the extent of his injury and will then decide whether he will head to Melbourne for the first grand slam of the year.

Kohlschreiber's withdrawal gifts 2007 champion David Ferrer a free pass into the semifinals tomorrow against American Sam Querrey, a 6-3 6-2 winner of Nicolas Almagro of Spain this morning.

Sixth seeded Querrey became the first man to progress to the semifinals with an easy victory over Spaniard.

Querrey used his big serve to good effect against an error-ridden Almagro to win in just over an hour.

The American served 10 aces, landed 69 per cent of his first serves and won 86 per cent of the points from his first serve points and never allowed a single break point.

He converted three break points allowed by fourth seeded Almagro who made several errors and was clearly not at his best.

- NZPA